The Darker Side of Kion
by DuskWolf713
Summary: this story is a alternate universe story in which events transpire that lead to Kion losing control of the roar and becoming corrupt like Scar. This is a what could be if Kion ever lost control, and what happens when he does and begins to turn into a lion not even his own family, let alone the rest of the guard, can recognize. Rated T for violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 **The Storm**

Kion ran ahead of the group, Janja and his clan were attacking, and though Kion was more than happy to greet them, he couldn't ignore the pouring rain. He glanced over at Fuli, her fur was plastered to her.

"It just had to be today that the hyenas decided to raid the pridelands?" she questions.

"Relax Fuli, we'll be done with these mouse-brains in no time" Kion encouraged as he raced ahead. He glanced up to see Ono circling ahead. "Ono what's going on?"

"Stop!" Ono shouted. "Kion stop!"

Kion slammed to a halt, his paws skidding across the ground. Before him the river was raging wildly. The hyenas stood on the other side, their eyes panicked. Even Janja seemed afraid. It was rising too fast. The pridelands were going to flood.

"Ono fly to the herds we need to…" he started but was then cut off as he was knocked to the ground. Janja stood over him, his eyes blazing.

"Gotcha now Kion" he chuckled. "You thought the river would stop me from getting to you when your out in the open?"

"Not quite."

Suddenly Janja was knocked away from him, he glanced over to see Fuli helping Kion to his paws. He was about to pounce again when he spotted Beshte racing to their side, followed closely by Bunga.

"Your outnumbered Janja" Kion growled. "Go home."

Janja glanced over his shoulder to see Cheezi and Chungu standing across the river looking over at him worriedly. There was no way they were going to challenge the fierceness of the river.

"You haven't seen the last of us Kion" Janja said with a snap of his jaws. "As long as there's food in the pridelands, we will never stop coming."

Kion bared his teeth and Janja leapt back across the river with impressive force.

"Kion you okay?" Beshte asked as he finally reached him.

"I'm fine" he answered. "We have to get the herds to higher ground" he stated. He glanced down at his paws, the ground under him was becoming mushy. The waters were rising.

"What are we standing around for then?" Bunga questioned. "Let's go!"

Bunga charged forwards and the others followed, Kion and Fuli were soon in the lead again and upon reaching the zebras Kion was out of breath from the trek. He spotted Thurston, the leader of the zebras standing there. His herd was panicked already and were coming to him asking what to do.

"You need to move to higher ground" Kion interrupted with a pant. "The water is coming fast."

"Hold it Kion, I'm the leader here" Thurston said stubbornly.

"Okay then what do you suggest we do?" Fuli cut in.

"We need to get the herd to higher ground!" Thurston declared.

The guard all rolled there eyes and Kion glanced up at Ono. "Ono can you find a safe place? And lead them there? I need to get to the rest of the herds."

"Affirmative" Ono answered instantly. He narrowed his eyes and spotted a hill nearby. "Follow me!" Ono called.

Thurston cleared his throat. "Follow the bird!" he said loudly as if to cut him off. Ono sighed and shook his head as he zipped through the sky heading for the hill. The zebras all took off and Kion and Fuli raced to the others. Bunga and Beshte split up from them to reach other herds. They knew it would be faster this way.

As Kion went to warn the herds he heard a cry for further off and spotted a small gazelle being swept off into the river. His eyes widened as he raced towards it.

"Kion I can get there faster" Fuli interjected. "You need to lead the herd."

"Right" Kion agreed, feeling stupid for trying to outrace her. She was the fastest after all. As Kion led the herd of antelope he glanced over towards the river, something was wrong. He could sense it. And that's when he saw Fuli collapse under the weight of the gazelle, and her head disappear beneath the roaring current.

He spun around and headed towards her, the gazelles began to wander aimlessly. He threw himself into the water, grabbing Fuli by the scruff of her neck and pulling her towards the bank. He could hear the cries of the baby gazelle being swept off and he struggled back and forth between the two of them. But he knew he couldn't save them both. Kion squeezed his eyes shut in regret as he turned from the baby and dragged the unconscious Fuli to the edge of the riverbank. The water was still rising and he shook her to wake her up. When she finally opened her eyes Kion didn't say a word. He led her to the higher ground, along with the antelope and they all stood on the hillside as they watched the plains flood.

Fuli looked around at the group and her eyes widened as she realized she couldn't find the baby gazelle. "Where is she?" Fuli asked.

"Who?" Kion replied.

"The gazelle Kion!" Fuli said with agitation clear in her voice.

"I…" Kion started. "I had to let her go."

Fuli's mouth fell open. "Go? What do you mean you had to let her go?"

"It was either her or you Fuli" Kion replied. "There was no way I was going to just leave you to drown."

She glared at him, her face drawn into a scowl. "What were you thinking?" she demanded. "We're the Lion Guard Kion, it's our job to protect all the others."

"And it's my job to protect my friends!" he exclaimed. "Did you really expect me to just let you go?" Beshte and Bunga heard their voices rise and wandered over to try and understand what had their tails all in a knot.

"What happened?" Beshte asked, concern was lighting up his every feature.

"Kion here let a gazelle get killed today that's what!" she hissed.

"What?" Bunga and Beshte answered together, their eyes wide in confusion.

"Fuli was drowning!" Kion defended. "What was I supposed to do?"

"You were supposed to let me!" Fuli snapped before the others could say anything. "Its your job Kion!"

"Fuli I would have done the same thing" Beshte interjected. "Your one of the guard, our best friend, where would the pridelands be without the fastest?"

"Your all so selfish!" she snarled. She looked down at her paws as if the weight of what had happened was settling down on her. "I'm outta here." And then she was. She headed towards the higher plains and didn't look back.

"Should we go after her?" Bunga asked as he looked over at Kion.

"Let her rest" Kion answered. "We all could use it."

That night as Kion rested in the lair, he couldn't help but hope to see Fuli walk in and lie beside him where she usually slept. He went through the events of the day in his mind. How had Fuli gotten taken down so easily by the river? She'd gotten in it time after time and it had never gotten the best of her. He wondered if maybe he was pushing the guard too hard, making them do too much, and perhaps Fuli had collapsed out of exhaustion. He kept thinking of the moment he thought he had lost her. He knew if anything ever happened to her he would never forgive himself. If anything ever happened to any of them.

They were a team, and as leader, it was Kion's responsibility to keep them safe. He knew he'd sooner die than let anything happen to any of them. Little did he know that just a few short weeks later, one of them would be lost to them forever. And the guard would become forever changed.

 _ **This is my first TLG fanfic! Please review and let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions! Thanks so much!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **The Fire Rages**

Kion rushed ahead of the others, using his snout to douse the flames. The thick smoke billowed in the sky and built up layer upon layer. Kion coughed heavily and glanced over at Bunga who was also kicking dust up on the flames. His eyes were panicked. Kion knew if something could scare Bunga they were all in trouble.

"It's spreading too fast Kion!" Bunga exclaimed.

"Where are the herds?" Kion questioned.

"Ono is scouting a path for them, Beshte is running alongside them, trying to keep them in line" Bunga replied.

Kion's eyes widened as he watched the flames catch the lush green grass and jump from blade to blade. It was heading towards the high ground quick, heading towards the herds.

"Now would be a really good time for the pridelands fastest to show up," Bunga said angrily. "We need her Kion, this is impossible!"

"I know" Kion agreed through his teeth. "But Fuli is gone Bunga."

It had been two weeks since the guard had last seen her. They'd searched far and wide for her, but they'd had no such luck. They expected she had returned to her den but when they had checked and found it empty, they ran out of ideas. Even Ono hadn't spotted her. And if the keenest of sight couldn't find her, they had no hope in the world.

"We have to do this ourselves" Kion added.

Bunga coughed again and pushed the dust as fast as he could over the flames. "We got to get out of here Kion" Bunga told him. Kion shook his head stubbornly.

"No, we've got to douse these flames" he replied.

"Kion!" Bunga snapped. "I'm not asking, we HAVE to go before we suffocate!"

Kion sighed and finally relented. "You're right, hop on." Bunga smiled in triumph and jumped onto his back as they raced off. They moved out of the smoke, and it began to thin as they moved further away.

Finally they reached the high ground and Kion made it over to Beshte. Ono was covered in black soot and his eyes were falling closed.

"Beshte we gotta keep going!" Kion said. "The flames are traveling up towards us." Kion was oblivious to Ono's state and he looked over at him, sitting on Beshte's back.

"Ono fly up there and find us a new route, we need to get these animals across the river!"

"Affirmative" Ono answered as his eyes flew open again and he moved up into the sky.

Ono flew back down a few moments later, he was coughing hard, but he covered it with his wing as he landed on Beshte's back again.

"Head left" Ono said. "We've got to go about a half mile before we reach the river, but we have to hurry, the fire is spreading quick!"

Kion nodded. And the four of them gathered the animals together and headed the way Ono had said. Ono was quiet as he rode on Beshte's back, the only time he made a sound was when he coughed harshly. They spotted the river through the smoke and once all the animals were safely across Kion smiled in relief.

"Good work everyone, especially you Ono…"

Kion glanced up to Beshte's back and saw that Ono was resting there, his wing over his beak. He didn't move.

"Ono?" Kion questioned.

Bunga climbed up onto Beshte's back and Beshte craned his neck as he looked over at him. His eyes full of concern.

Bunga nudged him and again Ono did not stir.

"Bunga bring him down here" Kion said shakily.

Bunga picked him up in his arms carefully and jumped down off Beshte's back. His head drooped.

"Oh no" Beshte said as he shook his head.

"He… he's…"

"No" Kion said. "No… he can't be…" Kion stepped back as he looked at Ono's black stained body. You could barely see his white feathers.

"Kion…" Beshte began.

Kion turned and ran, he didn't look back. _I broke my vow. I promised I'd take care of them, I promised._ With tears in his eyes, Kion ran to priderock. He ran to his father and told him everything. Simba was distraught as he heard of the news and that night he gathered the rest of pride rock and held a ceremony for the keenest of sight as they buried him with honor. His stone was placed by the base of pride rock. The guard stood vigil over it that night and in the morning Kion was gone.

 _ **Feel free to review! Thank you for reading!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **Words from the King**

Kion glanced out from the cave on priderock. His eyelids drooped heavily over his eyes, he could barely lift his head. Zuri walked towards him, a zebra leg was hanging from her jaws. Nala had just gotten back from her hunt, and the other lionesses were basking in the sun near the base of priderock with her, as they all enjoyed their kill. She laid it at his paws.

"Saved the best part just for you Kion" she said with a smile.

Kion didn't even look up at her. He simply placed his head on the other side of his paws and sighed to himself.

"Come on Kion, please?" Zuri asked. "You haven't had so much as a morsel since…"

"It's okay" he cut her off briskly. "I'm not hungry."

"Oh… okay" Zuri said softly as her eyes lowered. "I guess I'll leave you alone then." She turned and left the cave only for Kiara to come bounding in seconds later.

"Kion, please, you've got to eat" Kiara prompted.

"I said I wasn't hungry" Kion replied with an edge in his voice. "Figures Zuri would go running to you about me."

"She's just worried about you Kion" Kiara said as she rolled her eyes. "You should appreciate what she's been doing. She always fights for the best of the meat to bring to you, it's no easy to wrestle it away from Tifu."

Kiara smiled a little at her joke, but nothing passed Kion's golden eyes. He didn't smile, he didn't chuckle dryly like he used to. He was beginning to worry them all.

Kiara sighed and laid down beside Kion so that her fur brushed his. It wasn't an easy thing to deal with — death— especially for cubs as young as they were. Kion didn't move as she laid beside him. He didn't acknowledge her at all, but he had to admit, he was grateful for her warmth. They laid in silence for a while until Kiara felt the gentle rise and fall of his body as he slept. She glanced over at him and licked the tuft of fur on his head lovingly. "Sleep well brother" she whispered. "The Kings in the Stars watch over you, as do I. And I always will."

Another week came and went, and Kion was so thin he didn't even look like the same cub anymore. Nala spoke to her son, voicing her concerns about his dawning health but he didn't seem to hear her. Simba was alerted as well by his son's condition and he came and sat before him one morning.

"Kion, you know, the guard could really use it's leader" Simba explained.

"What guard?" Kion grumbled. "Fuli's gone, and Ono's buried at the base of pride rock."

Simba nudged his son but Kion didn't move. He refused to leave the cave. "Bunga and Beshte still need you" he said, his deep voice rumbling as he spoke. "The pridelands have been suffering without you son."

Kion stood angrily to his paws. "It's better off without me!" His fur was bristling and his teeth were bared. He felt such anger towards his father's comment that he could hardly see straight.

"Kion!" Simba scolded. "Don't even think that for a second! The circle of life needs you to defend it."

" _You're_ the king!" Kion spat. "Protecting the circle of life is _your_ job!"

"Kion that is enough!" Simba growled.

This time his tone was enough to silence the young cub and he flattened his ears against his skull in fear. Simba sighed and laid down beside him, placing his paw over his bony back and pulling him to him.

"Listen son, I know your upset about Ono, we all are" Simba started. "But he died defending these animals, he died a hero. As a member of the guard should."

Kion looked up at his father, he fought back tears, his voice trembled as he spoke. "Why him?" he questioned. "Why not me? I'm the leader, I'm supposed to protect them."

Simba pushed his head against his son's head and tears fell down Kion's cheeks. His whole body was shaking.

"Kion" Simba said affectionately. "That was not your fault, accidents happen. Sometimes it doesn't make sense, but that's the circle of life. The Great Kings will take of him. And they depend on you son, you to lead the lion guard. It's your responsibility, and you have to honor it."

Kion nodded, "I can't lose anyone else father" he admitted.

"You won't" Simba assured him. "Just lead wisely, and make sure all of you protect each other."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **Sisi Ni Sawa: We're the Same**

"Kion she went this way!" Bunga shouted as he ran ahead.

"Beshte keep up!" Kion called behind him.

"I'm trying!" Beshte called back. "Just go on ahead!"

"Ono fly up there and…" Kion's voice trailed off and Bunga caught the sadness that gleamed in his eyes.

"Kion… you okay?"

"Yeah, sorry Bunga" Kion said as he shook his head to clear away the thoughts. "She's fast" Kion added to lighten the mood.

"Ah, not too fast for the lion guard" Bunga replied with a confident smile.

 _If Fuli was here we would have caught her ages ago_ Kion thought.

Finally he came to a halt and the hyena jumped at him, knocking him to the ground. He shook his head to clear it and shook the dust from his pelt.

"You picked the wrong place to fight" the hyena chuckled. "This is my turf."

Beshte finally caught up and stood strong by Kion's side.

"What were you doing in the pridelands hyena?" Kion demanded. "You know your kind's not welcome there!"

"Have you ever stopped to think that maybe I'm not like Janja and his clan?" she demanded.

"Yeah, she says that after she attacked you" Bunga said suspiciously. "I say we take her down right now."

"Yeah? Try it weasel" the hyena mocked.

"I'm a honey badger!" Bunga said angrily. "How long have you been here exactly that you can't tell a honey badger from a weasel?" He laughed a little at this.

"Enough playing around" Kion stated. "If we catch you in the pridelands again…"

"What?" the hyena bit back. "You think you could take me?"

Kion smirked, "I know I could."

"You lions are so conceited" she growled. "You think you own the pridelands, we're not that different Kion!"

"Oh you're completely different!" Kion snapped.

"How?" she snarled.

Kion stumbled for the right words to say. She was a hyena, that's what was different. She was just like Janja and his clan, or like the evil hyenas that followed Scar around that Simba had told him stories of.

"You poach in our lands for one!" Kion said.

"I've never hurt another animal in the pridelands, I was just in the pridelands to hide from Janja" she stated.

"You were hiding from Janja?" Bunga asked in confusion. "But aren't you in his clan?"

"Not all hyenas belong to a clan" she replied. "I'm a loner for now."

"So you don't follow Janja?" Beshte asked.

"I despise him" she replied.

"Oh…" Kion looked between Bunga and then Beshte. "What's your name?"

"I'm Jasiri" she replied. "And your Kion, Beshte, and Bunga, everyone around here knows you."

"We're famous huh?" Bunga said with a smirk as he elbowed Kion. "I always knew we would be."

"I wouldn't say famous" Jasiri giggled. "More like notorious."

"Well good" Kion said. "The hyenas have a right to fear us, at least this way it'll hopefully deter them from coming into the pridelands."

"Well, it was nice to meet you Kion" Jasiri said as she smiled a little and turned to walk off.

"Hey what about us?" Bunga shouted after her. But Jasiri was already gone. Kion watched her go and a small smile came on his face. Bunga watched his friend closely and elbowed him again.

"Got a crush Kion?" Bunga teased.

"Course not!" Kion replied quickly.

Beshte gave him the same look and lifted a quizzical eyebrow at him.

"Come on guys, I barely know her" Kion defended.

"We can change that" Bunga replied. "After all, what are best friends for?"

Kion laughed at that and followed his friends home. For the first time he began to feel a little better. He still had a hole in him from Ono's death, and another from Fuli's abandonment, but at least he still had them. As long as they stuck together they would be alright.

 _Lead wisely and you'll be okay._ Simba's words echoed in Kion's head and he held onto them tightly. He would be the wisest leader the pridelands had ever known. He would make sure his guard would go down in history, become part of the stories passed down by Rafiki and soon….Mkini. Little did he know that although his guard would go down in history, it wouldn't be in the way Kion thought.

 _ **Please review guys! It always means so much to me!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 **Cornered**

It had been a while since the guard has seen Fuli. Kion's mane had grown a little, not a full mane but a short mane that went down the back of his neck. His claws had grown, and he was very healthy, his muscles gleaming from the time he led the guard and fought all the adversaries that tried to invade the pridelands. He was oblivious to a pair of red eyes that caught him one night, stalking his every move through the tall grass. Mapigano the leopard watched him closely. He'd grown older too, stronger, and he outsized Kion by a couple inches. His weight was heavier as well.

Mapigano flexed his claws as he watched Kion lap up water from the riverbed. The guard was nowhere in sight, and neither was Badili. After the guard had trained him, and Badili had kept his territory, it wasn't long until Mapigano tracked him down and sank his teeth into his neck. Badili may have become brave, but he was still nowhere near the fighter that Mapigano was.

He had been in communication with the crocodile Kiburi whom was part of Makuu's float, telling him to keep an eye on Beshte, and to take whatever measures necessary to make sure he was kept away from Kion. Today was the day Mapigano paid Kion back for throwing him out of his territory.

No other animals were in sight and Mapigano stepped forward slowly and then sprang. Kion let out a yelp of pain as the leopard sank it's claws into his shoulders. He threw him off and spun around to face him, his teeth bared.

"Mapigano!" Kion snarled. "What are you doing back in the pridelands?"

"What are you doing so far away from your friends Kion?" the leopard replied with a gleam in his eyes. "I heard about your friend, the keenest of sight" he taunted. "It's a shame he couldn't have warned you I was hiding, waiting for just the right moment to strike."

"Stay back leopard" Kion warned. "I still have the roar on my side."

"You won't have a chance to open your jaws wide enough" he bit back. He sprang again and slashed at Kion, this time he caught the young lion's shoulder. Kion winced in pain and jumped back at him, striking out with his own claws and drawing blood as he caught Mapigano across the snout.

The leopard backed up, pulling his paw away from his bleeding muzzle. He growled as he circled him.

"So what?" Kion demanded. "Your going to kill me? All over a little piece of land."

"That spot meant everything to me!" Mapigano snapped. "But no Kion, this isn't about territory, I already won that."

"How do you figure?" Kion replied. "Badili owns that land now."

"Badili?" Mapigano let out a low chuckle, his crimson eyes piercing into the young lion as he leaned forward and mumbled. "He's dead."

Kion's eyes widened in horror and Mapigano leapt at him, this time Kion was distracted, his head not in the fight any more. He couldn't stop thinking about the friendly leopard, how he and the guard had taught him to stand up to those that came against him. He had been killed.

 _Where was I?_

Storm clouds raged around Kion and the sky turned black as the wind picked up. He dug his claws into the earth and shoved Mapigano away from him. He roared. This time it was different. The earth shook, lightning flashed, and the lions in the sky looked angry instead of like wise kings of the past. Mapigano flew through the air, away from Kion. Kion felt pain in his chest he had never felt before and when he stopped the roar everything around him faded to black as he fell to the ground.

Kion awoke in the lair, Beshte was looking at him worriedly, and Bunga was pacing the lair floor endlessly.

"Bunga he's awake!"

But Kion knew something was wrong, something felt different. Simba was standing at the far end of the lair and he walked towards his son, he looked more worried than any of them.

"Son, what happened with your roar?" he questioned.

"I…I don't know" Kion stated. "It felt…. Different."

"You remember Rafiki's warnings right?" Simba questioned. "That you were never to use the roar out of anger."

"But father!" Kion defended as he pushed himself to his paws. He cringed against the claw wounds littered through his pelt and Simba winced too out of sympathy to his son. The wounds had been tended too, but they still hurt. "Mapigano… he killed Badili!"

The words burst out of him without a second thought. Horror flickered in Beshte and Bunga's eyes as well.

"No, how?" Beshte asked in disbelief. "Badili was doing so well."

"He stood up to that bully!" Bunga exclaimed. "How did Mapigano…"

"We're all older now, and so is Mapigano, my guess is he came back when he'd gotten stronger and took him down."

"Oh Kion" Simba said with a sigh. "I'm so sorry son, we'll find Mapigano and banish him…"

"Don't you get it!" Kion snapped. "Banishing does nothing! They always come back!"

"Kion!" Simba snapped. "If you're suggesting we kill our enemies... that is not who you are, that's not what the guard is about. It's about protecting not killing."

Kion remained silent after that, he was too angry, he couldn't even express what he was feeling. A storm was raging inside of him. He was confused of what was black and what was white. He would be protecting the pridelands. By getting rid of it's enemies.

"Father, we can't keep losing friends like this" Kion stated. "I just can't…"

Simba nudged his son lovingly, "Kion, you are so much stronger than you think. Don't become full of hate like your uncle was, it destroyed him in the end. And I know you have a better heart than he did."

Kion smiled a little at his father and Simba left to go find Mapigano, promising justice. Beshte and Bunga sat beside him.

"Come on Kion, let's just have fun for once, stop worrying about guard business" Bunga said.

"I've got the Baobab fruit!" Beshte exclaimed.

And for the first time in a while, the small guard relished in bliss, relished in their friendship for one another. No more danger. Just play, the play they had never experienced much of when they were younger.

 _ **Okay guys review your thoughts! Looks like Kion is slowly but surely on his way to darkness.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **A Stranger in the Pridelands**

 _I'm not here to make friends…_

Kion sat on his haunches as he peered across the water hole. He was on patrol, making sure all animals were safe as they drank. It was the dry season, and the animals needed more water than usual. Beshte was in the water, his eyes focusing on Makuu and his float especially Kiburi. Kion was anxious, he always was in the dry season. Animals were irritable, more on edge than normal. It was then that Kion spotted an animal he'd never seen before. An African wild dog.

He growled as he pushed his way through the crowd and the animals shrank back in fear and flattened their ears as he passed. He shoved a young zebra out of the way which earned an annoyed snort from Thurston. The young dog snapped his jaws and Thurston stomped his hooves on the ground. Usually he'd "panic and run" but during the dry season animals became bolder than ever.

Kion rushed over to them, leaping onto Beshte's back and over to the other side. He landed in front of Thurston.

"Who are you and why are you causing problems for the others?" Kion demanded.

"My name's Jabari" he replied. "First born of the king, Ashura. Now move out of the way!" he said as he snapped his jaws again. "I'm not here to make friends!"

"My father Simba is king of the pridelands!" Kion snarled, his claws unsheathing. "Who is this Ashura? And what makes him think he can take the title of king?"

"Out of my way!" Jabari replied as he glared at him. They were both young and strong, probably around the same age, but still Jabari had a few inches on him. "You're blocking the water!"

"No!" Kion snapped back. "In the pridelands we share, and we don't bark orders or snap our jaws at other animals, you're going to cause a stampede!"

This time Jabari used his head to ram into Kion and knock him into the water. Mud splashed up covering him and Beshte ran to his aide. Makuu and his float looked up in bewilderment at the stranger, even Kiburi looked rattled.

"Kion!" Beshte exclaimed as he helped him to his paws. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah" Kion replied. "But I don't think Jabari can stay, he's as vicious as Janja and his crew."

Jabari didn't even flick his ears as Kion spoke, he didn't pay him a lick of attention, and he seemed to have more disrespect for the guard and the circle of life then any of the other animals Kion had meant.

"Beshte, find Bunga and tell him to go to my dad, tell him of this Jabari, and his so called "king Ashura."

"Alright Kion, are you sure you can handle this guy all alone?" Beshte asked. He glanced over his shoulder at Kiburi worriedly. The gator hadn't made a move yet, but it was always a risk for him to snap, especially when Makuu wasn't watching him.

"I'll be fine Beshte" he replied. "Just hurry and tell my dad, I want Jabari gone."

Beshte nodded and walked through the murky water, headed towards priderock as fast as he could. Kion walked over back to the bank and took a breath as he tried again to face Jabari.

"Look…" Kion started. "If you want to stay here in the pridelands than you can't be lashing out at every animal that you encounter."

Jabari lifted his head from the water and then sprayed it all over Kion, chuckling as he did so. "Sorry kitty" Jabari taunted. "But you're not my king, I don't answer to you."

"You need to leave" Kion said as anger filled him. "If you don't respect the king of this land, you can not stay here. It's his rules, his laws."

"If I were you I would step back" Jabari said. "Before someone gets hurt."

"I'm not going anywhere" Kion replied.

"Oh yeah?" Jabari questioned. Suddenly he leapt at Kion, but this time he was ready and he dodged the attack, landing in the water and sending mud up into the air. Kion lunged at him but the dog was stronger, faster, and he leapt up just in time to lock his jaw around Kion's front paw.

Kion yelped and tried everything he could to writhe away from him. Jabari shoved him down, pushing his head into the water. Kion struggled against him, with his head below the water Kion panicked. He was drowning. Suddenly the weight came off him and Kion broke the surface, gasping for air. He was weak, but unhurt as he coughed up water.

Makuu had the stranger pinned, his face was the only thing above the water, he splashed water up, this time he was the one panicking. But the strong gator had him, and his massive size outweighed the wild dog ten-fold.

Kion struggled back and forth in his mind. He knew Makuu would kill him easy, but he was also an animal, another animal in the circle of life, just like Janja, just like Kiburi, just like Rei Rei, just like all his enemies. But did any of them really deserve death? Kion shook his head. No. Not on his watch. The pridelands would not be strained with blood. He remembered how bad he had wanted Mapigano dead for what he had done to Badili, but how Simba had spoken sense into him.

"Makuu!" Kion shouted. "Let him up, he isn't allowed here anymore but he doesn't deserve to die."

Makuu seemed surprised by this and he stepped back. Jabari turned the instant he was free and jumped at Makuu, this time Kion latched onto his tail and pulled him with impressive force away. Jabari screeched in pain and when he tried to make another move not only did Makuu snap his giant jaws, but Thurston started snorting and kicking up dust as well. The elephants trumpeted loudly, and the confident grin fell from his face. He was defeated. He knew it. The animals were all rising up.

"Get out of here Jabari" Kion growled. "And don't ever come back."

Jabari took off running and Kion smiled as he left. The animals all cheered, and he glanced over at Makuu.

"Thank you for saving me" Kion said. "You have my thanks Makuu."

Makuu smirked, "Tend to your wound cub" he said in his raspy deep voice. "It'd be a shame to lose that paw. What would we crocs do without the lion guard?" He was teasing, Kion knew it and he chuckled a little to himself.

"Probably through a great celebration right?" Kion questioned.

But Makuu just smirked and swam off, headed towards his float, a smug grin never leaving his face.

 _ **So thank you guys for all the support and positive feeback! If you have any ideas for future chapters just PM me! Feeling very good about this whole storyline and am busy working on future chapters now! So many great ideas! Review if you can!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Visions of Destruction

Kion sat at the tip of pride rock, his eyes narrowed as he looked out towards the volcano. It had sprung back to life recently, and as curious as he was to know how, there was a part of him that held him back from exploring it. There were tales of that place, tales that Rafiki had told him when he was a cub. The volcano was where Scar had risen up in power, where he had trained an army of hyenas to follow his every command. Kion shivered at the thought of his dead uncle and he broke from his trance as he felt fur brush up against his.

He turned to see Kiara sitting beside him. "What are you doing out here so late Kion?"

"I had a bad dream" he admitted. "And I have an even worse feeling about that volcano."

Kiara sighed, "Kion, don't you have enough responsibilities to deal with in the pridelands?" she questioned. "Don't burden yourself with something as far away as the outlands."

"Kiara" Kion said, a slight scold in his voice, "You are to be queen one day, all of this will be your responsibility one day, including what goes on in the outlands."

She nodded, "Yeah…" but her voice trailed off and Kion could tell something was troubling his older sister.

"You will make a fine queen Kiara" he assured her. "Don't start doubting yourself now."

"Dad's trying to create an alliance with the outlanders" Kiara said. "I'm supposed to meet another lion my age named Kovu, I'm meeting with him and his mother, Zira, tomorrow."

"I didn't even know there were other lions living in the outlands" Kion replied.

"She has a fairly small pride, all lionesses" Kirara said. "Father wants to make our pride stronger, so he's inviting them all to stay."

"And this Kovu… you know nothing about him?"

"No" Kiara admitted. "Never met him. Do you think it's silly of me to be nervous?"

Kion gasped in mock offense, "My big sister? Nervous? I would have never thought…"

She shoves him playfully, "Okay okay" she says. "I guess it was a dumb question."

The two sit with each other for a while before Kion speaks again. "Kiara, do you think…" He hesitates for a moment, a little scared to ask what's been nagging his mind ever since he spotted the active volcano. "Do you think Scar could ever come back?"

Kiara's eyes widen, not quite sure she had just heard her brother right. "He's dead Kion" she states. "You know that."

Kion nods, a little defeated, and feeling that the bad feeling he had was something he should have just kept to himself. Ever since the volcano had started smoking again he'd been haunted by nightmares of Scar. Of course he wouldn't admit this to her, especially with the way she was looking at him now.

"Sorry" Kion says. "I know we're not supposed to talk about him."

"Don't apologize Kion" Kiara says. "Scar's part of our history, he always will be."

 _I'm running, the pridelands are engulfed in flames and I'm trying desperately to get in front of them._

" _Kion!"_

 _It's Fuli. I knew that voice anywhere._

 _I race to find her, searching high and low. If only Ono was here… if only. I run until my paws ache and finally manage to find Fuli. She's trapped in her den, flames are dancing in front of the entrance. I panic as I meet her eyes, she's terrified all of the sudden but not of the flames._

" _Take my paw!" I shout._

 _She shakes her head vigorously._

" _Fuli!" I shout. "Now!"_

" _I need Kion!" she replies._

" _I'm right here!" I yell back._

" _No" she replies. "Your not him."_

 _I shake my head, trying to clear the confusion from my head. What was she talking about?_

" _Why my boy, just look at you."_

 _The deep voice chills me to the bone. I turn to see Scar standing before me, hyenas are all around him, smirking evilly and licking their chops._

" _What are you…" But before I can finish I spot something. My paws. They're stained red with blood. I look down, a path of bloody paw prints leads deeper into the heart of the pridelands. I push past Scar, following them. The fire is starting to wane and finally I find the source of the blood._

 _Kiara is dead, and so is the rest of the pride. Their bodies lie scattered. Bunga and Beshte have been torn apart. By what? I can't imagine._

" _Come on my boy" Scar rasps. "The time is now."_

 _I spin towards him angrily. "What are you talking about?" I demand. "What did you do?"_

 _He chuckles darkly. "This is your handiwork Kion" he says. "It's time we took over the pridelands, just imagine what the two of us could do together. It's time a rightful king stepped up." Scar bows before me and soon the hyenas follow. "Long live the king!"_

Kion awakes with a gasp, his whole body trembling. Everyone else in the den is still asleep. Tifu and Zuri sleep side by side and Kiara lies against Nala, her breathing slow and easy. Kion takes a shaky breath and lies back down. _It's alright. They're safe._ But as much as Kion repeats these words to himself something keeps echoing back: _For now._

 _ **Please review! I am so sorry this took so long! I got super busy with work and forgot about this fic! But i am back! Hope you all are still following! :)**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

Second Encounters

Kion walked through the pridelands, lost in his thoughts as he thought back to his last nightmare. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that something was coming. He had given Beshte and Bunga the day off so he could spend some time thinking. Could it be possible? Could Scar find a way to corrupt him from the grave? What was really going on inside that volcano?

As he neared closer the fur on the back of Kion's spin stood up straight. There was a crack in the brush as a twig snapped.

"Come out!" Kion shouted. "I know someone's there!"

It was then that he spotted the wild dog Jabari making his way towards him. He growled in warning. "What are you doing back here?" Kion demanded. "I told you to never come back."

Jabari smiled darkly as he looked over Kion's shoulders. "Where's your precious lion guard?" he mocked. "And you friend the croc, he doesn't seem to be anywhere in sight now does he?"

"I don't need them to beat you" Kion snarled. "I'm a lot stronger than you think."

"Really?" the dog chuckled. "Because last I heard the cheetah ditched you" he laughed. "Why you must not have been all that great of a leader."

The two began to pace each other, it wasn't until he heard the sounds of more pawsteps that he noticed Jabari was not alone. Three more wild dogs surrounded him, laughing evilly, reminding Kion more of the hyenas than of actual dogs.

"I could take you all" Kion said. "Your not getting any further into the pridelands."

"Shame you couldn't see us coming Kion" Jabari stated. He lunged at the cub and Kion was slammed onto his back. He rolled away from the attack only to be tackled again by another of Jabari's pack. He clawed at the assailant and Jabari crashed into him, knocking the breath from him as he held him down. The wild dog still outweighed Kion and he found it hard to catch his breath. A deep lash on his forehead sent blood trickling down into his eye, obscuring his vision.

"You're nothing without your guard" Jabari spat. "Janja took care of Ono easy enough."

Kion stopped struggling, his breath caught as his eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

"Ah so you don't know the truth?"

"No what?" Kion demanded.

"Janja set the fire that killed Ono."

In that moment Kion felt his whole world come crashing down. He wanted to make them bleed. He wanted to go after Janja's entire clan. He wanted to tear the outlands apart. He was filled with such intense rage that his whole body began to shake. Jabari's smile fell as he took a step back. Kion released the roar, the wind howled and the sky grew dark. The pack flew across the air. Jabari hit the ground with an audible thud and gasped in pain as his leg snapped on impact.

Kion moved toward him, his eyes cold, any semblance of cubhood was gone from his face. The rest of Jabari's pack had scattered. He glared down at him, the dog back away, wincing in pain. "How did you know Janja started the fire?" Kion demanded.

He shook his head, "I don't know anything, honest!"

Kion bore his weight down on the injured dog's leg and he howled in pain.

"Tell me!" he shouted. "What is Janja planning?"

"It's not just him" Jabari said. "It's Kiburi, Rei Rei, Ushari, Kenge, Mukucha…"

"Enough!" Kion growled. "What are you all up to?"

"You'll have to ask Janja" he replied. "He's the leader behind this not me."

Kion showed his teeth as he glared down at the injured wild dog, "Get out of here, and tell Janja I'm coming for him." He stepped away and Jabari began to limp off, heading away from the pridelands.

It wasn't until Kion began heading pack to pride rock that he felt something drip down his shoulder. He glanced down to see his lion guard mark. Blood was dripping from it. He remembered what Simba had told him about not using it in anger and he had disobeyed him again.

 _Am I destroying my mark? What if I really lost the roar? Would I become like Scar in the end?_

That night as Kion slept he tossed and turned. Rafiki had tended to his wounds but the salve didn't numb the pain he felt deep in his chest. It was as if his heart itself was on fire. He winced in pain. It wasn't until he felt something brush against him that he calmed down. Zuri laid beside him. They didn't speak, they didn't need to. Her presence itself was enough to make him feel a little more like himself, a little more in control. He took a breath and closed his eyes again, waiting for the nightmares to engulf him.

That night all he dreamt of was blood. Of tearing Janja's throat out. He was so pleased when the light in the hyena's eyes went out. Never again would he hurt another living thing.

 _It was for you Ono. I did this for you._

 _ **Please review! Let me know if you like where this is headed!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

The Roar's Burden

Janja stood before Kion, licking his lips as he looked at him, as if he was about to devour him in mere seconds. Chungu and Cheezi had Bunga cornered. Beshte was still standing in the small pond, blocking Kiburi from getting any closer to his friend. Kion stood on the bank, his claws digging into the sand. They were in the outlands and they were outnumbered. Kiara whimpered under Janja's hold. He had her on her side, he'd already let Chungu and Cheezi at her for a couple minutes before Kion had gotten to her. Now she was trembling in fear, blood was running down her haunches, their teeth had torn a slit in her ear.

"Janja, I'm gonna ask you one more time" Kion said, his voice becoming threatening, "Let her go."

"You don't scare me anymore Kion" Janja stated. "Word is you ain't got the roar now."

As much as it hurt Kion to use, he knew full well that he still had the power to use it. But now, if he focused too much on the hatred he felt towards Janja he could lose it for good. Janja had caused Ono's death. And now he stood over his sister, all it would take was one snap of his jaws and Kiara would be dead.

 _No. Not Kiara._

"I don't need the roar to defeat you Janja" Kion growled.

"Prove it _cub"_ he taunted.

"Kion! Beshte!"

Kion turned and watched as Beshte held of Kiburi's advance. The gator snapped his jaws and locked them around Beshte's leg. He winced in pain but it held back his cries, not wanting to upset his leader. "Do something!" Bunga shouted as Chungu leapt at him.

"Too late!"

Janja leapt through the air, knocking Kion onto his back. He rolled out of the way as Janja snapped at him. He turned to make his way to Beshte and suddenly was slammed to the ground. The force was so immense Kion knew it couldn't be Janja. He struggled under the weight. Makucha stood over him, he dug his claws in deep and Kion yelped in pain, surprised at how sharp it was. He tried to move but the leopards adolescent weight outweighed his, Makucha had a good year on the cub. Kion watched as the water began to turn red. Beshte stamped his feet and threw his weight at the croc. The two scuffled on, each hit worse than the last.

"No!" Kion shouted. "Leave him alone!"

"Makucha, don't let him up!" Janja snarled. "I want him to see how strong the outlanders have gotten."

Kion watched as Kiburi tore into Beshte, water turned even redder and after five agonizing minutes Beshte was shoved from the water. He collapsed in front of Kion, his side had been torn up so badly it was hard for Kion to even look. Suddenly the weight disappeared and Kion jumped to his paws. A hyena was fighting against Makucha now. Kion turned to see Janja and Jasiri leaping at each other. She was a skilled fighter, and seemed to out maneuver Janja's strikes. Makucha fled as more hyenas filtered in.

"No!" Janja yelled. He watched as his companions abandoned him. Fire shone in his eyes as he targeted the young hyena. As she watched Makucha flee, Janja sprang at her. Her eyes widened in horror as his teeth met her throat.

"Jasiri!" Kion yelled. "No!"

In that moment Kion released a roar so terrible that the ground began to shake. His chest was on fire. He was in so much pain he began to grow dizzy but he held his ground. Janja flew away from Jasiri as she fell to the ground. He smacked into the mountain side behind him and was knocked out instantly. Kion stood there, his legs shaking. Blood dripped down his shoulders from Makucha's claws. And again the mark began to bleed. Kion grew dizzy and collapsed.

 _ **Comment below! What do you think? Who all has survived? And who hasn't? Will Beshte make it? What about the future queen? And Jasiri… who knows….**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

 _Into the Line of Fire_

Kion opened his eyes as light filtered into Rafiki's tree. He spotted Mkini rummaging through some herbs and watched as she ground some up into powder and then added something that resembled sap to it. She grabbed her stick her and made her way over to him. She smiled as she saw that he was awake. She dug her hand into the mixing bowl and slathered it into Kion's fur. He winced as it stung the wounds on his shoulder blades but he tried to hide it from the young apprentice, not wanting her to think she'd hurt him. He tried to speak but his throat was sore and there was deep ache in his chest that made him feel as if he'd strained himself after a hard training session with the guard.

"Mkini" he whispered. "Where're the others? They were hurt worse than me, they should be in here."

Something changed in Mkini's expression, and her soft smile fell. "Your sister is fine."

"And Beshte?"

Mkini shook her head in defeat.

Kion felt his blood chill, "No" he gasped. He began to stand and Mkini's eyes widened. "Your not well enough to leave yet" she said quickly as she chased after him.

"Why am I here?" Kion demanded as he spun towards her. "Why aren't you taking care of Beshte?" His voice ached as he spoke and he had to keep from coughing as his temper flared.

"His wounds were beyond what either I or Rafiki could do" she replied.

"Where is he?" Kion snapped as he moved towards her. "He's not gone! He can't be!"

"Kion."

The young lion turned around as Rafiki entered the tree. "You have to let this anger go" he said.

"I need to find Kiburi" Kion stated. "He's going to pay for what he did!"

"Do not go down this path young prince" Rafiki warned. "There will be no coming back from it."

"I don't care" Kion snarled. "Do you expect me to just let him get away with what he did?"

"And how do you expect to kill him?" Rafiki questioned. "The roar is gone Kion."

Kion froze, all anger vanished from him. "What?"

"You don't have the mark anymore" Rafiki explained. "The guard is over."

"No" Kion said as he shook his head in disbelief. "It can't be… who's going to protect the pridelands?"

"For now that will revert back to the king" Rafiki replied. "The next leader of the lion guard won't come until Kiara has a cub of her own." But that was years away. Kion and his sister were only about a year and a half old. She wouldn't be ready for cubs until she was at least 3.

Kion sat back down, his head hung forward and his ears fell flat. "This is all my fault" he mumbled. "I wasn't strong enough to save him."

Mkini made her way towards her friend and pulled him close. Kion let his head fall against her shoulders, a tear slowly dripped down his face and Rafiki watched the two of them.

"What do I do now?" Kion asked after a moment. "Without the guard...what am I?"

"You're still the fiercest Kion" Mkini spoke first. "You can still take care of the pridelands, you can still be a prince the way Simba raised you."

"Protect those who cannot protect themselves" Rafiki added. "Be a brother to Kiara, a son your parents can be proud of. Prove to them you don't need the guard to do what's right."

Kion smiled a little, "Thank you" he said. He began to make his way down the tree and Mkini followed after him. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"To see Bunga" he replied. "I'm sure he could use a friend right now."

Kion watched from the tip of priderock, watched as the fire spread into the outlands. It was dry season, and plain fires were common. He thought back to the day he lost Ono, the day his life began to fall apart. Even back then he had been a terrible leader. And now he was the washed up former leader of the lion guard. He laid there with his head between his paws and his eyes tired. Without the guard he was alone, and without his roar he felt empty. Bunga had changed the most since Beshte's death. The two of them had always shared a closer bond than the rest of the lion guard. Bunga spent most days in his burrow now and only surfaced when he was hungry. As Kion laid there, his eyes widened in fear. The burrow. Bunga. The fire would suffocate him. He was in danger.

 _No! I'm not losing anyone else!_

Kion jumped to his paws and raced away from pride rock, headed towards the fire. The smoke was thick and heavy around him and every step he took landed on charred ground. Embers burned bright in the air and stung his fur as he headed deeper. He went from one burrow to then next, but it was almost impossible to sniff out Bunga amongst the smoke.

"Bunga!" Kion shouted. "Bunga!" He eyes began to sting, and the longer he spent in the flames the more light headed he was becoming. He ignored the burning in his lungs as he continued to dig at the entrance of every burrow.

"Help!"

Kion turned towards the sound and followed it, it wasn't until he came to a burrow engulfed in flames that he spotted Bunga inside. He didn't care what it cost him, he would save his friend. He pushed his paws through the flames, wincing in pain as it scorched them. He dug down and reached into the burrow opening.

"Grab on!" Kion shouted.

He felt Bunga grip onto his paws and Kion yanked him out. He placed the small creature on his back and Bunga gripped onto the short mane as he raced back towards home. Every step was agonizing but Kion pushed on. When he finally made it to the safety of pride rock he collapsed on his side. Kiara, Simba and Nala raced to his side.

"Zazu! Fetch Rafiki!" Nala shouted. "Hurry!"

Zazu zipped through the sky and came back with Rafiki and Mkini in tow. Kiara laid beside her brother, her head resting on his mane. He had passed out.

"Mkini take Bunga back to the tree" Rafiki ordered. "I have to see to Kion." She nodded and picked Bunga up as she raced off. Rafiki scratched at the fur on his chin and began to cover Kion's paws with a stick poultice he had made. He shook his head as he did so.

"These burns are deep Simba" he spoke. "They may not heal the way we'd like them to."

"What does that mean?" Nala demanded. "Your herbs have always worked Rafiki, why can't they work for my son?"

"The herbs are strong my queen" Rafiki replied. "But the burns travel deep, I can ease the pain for now, but this will likely impair the prince for the rest of his life."

"No" Nala said as she shook her head. "My son has been through enough!"

"Calm down Nala" Simba said. "Our son is a lot stronger than we give him credit for, he can endure this."

"He shouldn't have to!" Kiara said as she jumped to her mother's defense. "Where were you dad?" she demanded. "You should have been the one to save Bunga! Not him! The safety of the pridelands is not his responsibility anymore!"

"Kiara…"

She shook her head and stormed off, headed into the den. Nala sat beside her son, pushing her paw through his young mane. "Simba, you have to step up. Our son doesn't have the guard anymore. He can't protect everyone on his own."

"I know" Simba replied. "I just don't want him to think we've lost faith in him."

She licked his cheek softly. "He knows we believe in him, but he also needs to know that the weight of the pridelands is not his alone. He's not the future king Simba."

"I'm sorry" Simba stated. "I should have made sure everyone was evacuated before I left the plains."

"When he wakes up he'll need you" Nala said. "He's going to need your support." Simba nodded as Nala went to find Kiara. He sat beside his son and sighed as he looked at the faded lion guard mark on his shoulder. It had scarred over now and was as washed up as Kion himself. Losing the mark had changed him. Simba couldn't help but feel disappointed in his son. He'd wanted it for his son for so long, and now it was faded, as if it had never existed at all. It was as if it existed now only as a cruel reminder for all that the cub had lost.

"First Scar, and now my own son" he mumbled. He looked up at the sky. "Father" he whispered softly. "Please don't abandon him, tell me what to do." But as rain began to pour down around them Simba couldn't shake the feeling that something was on the horizon. That when his son awoke, he'd be in pain, and that pain would only add to the emptiness the cub already felt inside.

 _ **Please review if you enjoyed this chapter! I know it was a little more depressing than my usual chapters but I got an idea and had to follow through!**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

 **A Change of Heart**

Kion rested on the Sunning Rocks, his head heavy and his heart shallow. He had changed, it's all anyone at home ever talked about anymore. But there was no fixing him. This is who he was now. He had lost his love for adventure, his love for the pridelands, and his love for protecting the weak. It all seemed silly to him now.

 _What's the point? The enemies always come back, and as long as my father's law stands, I can't kill. I can't stop them from hurting those I care about._

There was a lot Kion kept to himself these days. For instance, his dreams about Kiburi and Janja. Each night was the same, dreaming of tearing them apart, of getting justice for Ono and Beshte. And now his nightmares of Scar were getting more intense, more real. He was being plagued by them. It was as if Scar's spirit was haunting him.

 _They don't need to know, I don't need to worry them. This is my burden to bare._

Zuri walked over and smiled a little as she spotted Kion. She laid a peace lily before his paws and he lifted his head and looked over at her.

"First day of spring" she said. "It's official."

Kion sniffed the flower in disinterest and sighed as he laid his head back over his paws.

"Great" he muttered. "Thanks Zuri."

Her happiness faded and she glanced over at him. "Kiara misses you" she said. "Your family misses you."

Ever since Simba had invited the outlanders into the pride, Kion had felt more distanced from his family than ever. He didn't like the idea of sharing their den with strangers. And he distrusted the dark lion, Kovu, more than any of them. He didn't approve of Kiara's relationship with him. It had happened to fast for his liking. Kovu was a strange lion. He hunted differently, talked differently, didn't believe in the Great Kings of the past, and most of all, he always was disappearing for hours on end with his mother. Kion had caught them outside the den one night, muttering to one another, and though he couldn't hear what they were saying, his instincts were shouting at him that something was wrong with the family of outsiders.

Kion scoffed, "It's too crowded there anyways" he said. "I need my own space."

Zuri walked over to him and laid beside him. "Space away from me too?"

He didn't reply. He didn't have the energy. All he wanted was to be left alone with his thoughts. Zuri began grooming him, licking the dirt and twigs from his mane. He had to admit, it was nice. Since being on his own, he hadn't groomed much. His paws were always mud stained and his mane was always wild and tangled. He didn't care much for his appearance anymore. How he looked wouldn't bring his friends back from the dead.

"Kion, can I ask you something?" Zuri started.

"If you must" he grumbled.

She smiled a little, not taking the slightest offense to his grumpiness. "If the outlanders left would you come home?"

He thought it over for a moment before shaking his head. "To be honest, I don't feel like I'll ever belong there again." All he could think about was having to live under Kovu's rule. He knew he couldn't accept him as his king. He was being replaced in the pride.

"What about when Kiara has cubs?"

Kion huffed under his breath, "Look at me Zuri" he said. "The washed up former leader of the lion guard… do you think I could ever bare her cubs to see me like that?"

"Oh Kion" Tifu said as she shook her head, "You've forgotten what it's like to be a cub."

For once her words caught his attention and he looked over at her, "What do you mean?"

"Cubs love unconditionally" she explained. "They will look up to their uncle no matter what. They'll respect you. Admire you. Just for being there for them."

Kion smiled for the first time in a while, "Since when did you become so wise?"

She laughed a little, clearly embarrassed by his compliment, "I'm not wise" she replied. "But you don't have to be wise to know what love is."

 _ **Please review! Not sure if anyone is still following this story or not but was inspired to keep it up! Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

 **The Return**

Kion followed Zuri as she walked by his side, she was so happy to have him returning to the Pride, and he was finding it hard not to catch himself admiring her every so often. She had grown into a beautiful lioness. They were both still young, around 2 years away from becoming full adults, and Kion was relieved that he still had some time to grow into himself.

They arrived at Pride Rock and the pride greeted the rogue prince as he came to the base of the tall rock. His mother smiled and ran to her sons side, licking his cheek and treating him like a cub, like he had never left her side.

"Kion" she said gently, "We've missed you son."

"Ah" Zira walked forward, her red eyes gleaming as she scanned over the prince. "We thought you'd never return." The way she said that instantly sat wrong with Kion but he tried his best to keep from snapping at the lioness.

"I'm home now" Kion asserted, seeming confident and much like his old self, "Where's…"

"Kion!"

Kiara rushed forward to greet her brother and he chuckled as he laid his head across her shoulder.

"I don't remember you smelling quite like this brother" she teased.

He laughed again, "Don't worry, I'll take a bath as soon as I get settled."

"Good" she replied. "Can't have you stinking up the den."

Simba was the last to greet his son, and it was easy to pick up on the anger that clung to him. He was clearly not happy about his son abandoning the pride. He nodded to him and Kion bowed his head respectfully. "Father."

Simba approached him and snorted in disgust as he examined him. He smelled like a stranger, like a rogue, and it offended the king. He was different. He looked tired, thin, his mane was knotted, his claws were overgrown and scratched the ground as he walked. The more Simba observed his son, the more he thought of Scar.

"So, you've decided to return to us?"

"Zuri convinced me I was needed here" Kion replied.

Simba narrowed his eyes at the lioness and she couldn't help but flatten her ears in response, feeling that she was in trouble with the king. Kovu appeared last and came to stand beside Kiara, he nodded slightly to Kion but Kion didn't like the way it made him feel. Like he was the outsider, like he was on the outside of his pride.

"Was the life of a rogue proving too difficult for a prince?" Simba questioned.

"Simba!" Nala scolded as she stood beside her son. "Kion is home now, there's no need to question him."

As the rest of the lionesses gathered, all eyes fell on the king. Simba felt like he was losing power and losing respect with the pride. Was he just supposed to welcome back in someone who had left them? He was convinced Kion had lost his loyalty to the pride.

"Let it be known," Simba announced, "That any lion who leaves the pride from this point forward will not be welcomed back. We are a family and family thrives on loyalty."

Kion's lip unfurled in anger and he tried his hardest to hold back the growl rising in his sore throat. His father was shaming him, and he was looking at him as if he was not his son. He knew he didn't need to stand for this, but he had made a commitment to be there for Kiara's cubs, to keep an eye on them as long as the outlanders remained in the pride.

"As you wish father" Kion replied solemnly.

Simba turned his back to his son and scaled back up Pride Rock. Nala ran after him, arguing with him as soon as she caught up with him that he had gone over the top. Kiara bumped into her brother, taking his attention away from the conversation. "Kion, I need to talk to you" she said. She glanced over at Zuri. "Can you give us a minute?" Zuri nodded and brushed up against Kion as she went ahead. A small smile spread onto his face but he quickly hid it as Kiara caught his expression.

The two walked out from under the watchful gaze of the pride and Kiara began to tease her little brother just like when they were kids.

"So… you and Zuri huh?"

Kion shook his head, "Don't go getting any ideas sis" he replied. "She's just a friend."

"Uh huh" Kiara replied, unconvinced.

"So you said you wanted to talk?" Kion asked.

"Yes" Kiara said as she sat down. Kion sat face to face with his sister, his heart hammering in his chest, he had a bad feeling all of the sudden.

"Father has betrothed me to Kovu" Kiara replied.

Kion was on his paws in a second. "No Kiara. I don't trust him."

"You don't know him Kion!" she replied. "You haven't even given him a chance!"

"His family is moving in on the pride," he said. "I know they are, I can feel it."

"You think they'd do something like that?" Kiara questioned. "They've done nothing but help this pride since they arrived."

"You can't tell me Zira and Nuka seem okay to you" Kion defended. "They have this look in their eyes… I just… I don't have a good feeling…"

"You're not the leader of the lion guard anymore Kion!" Kiara burst out. "Your instincts aren't always right!"

Kion took a step back, shaking his head, he felt the sharp pain in his chest again and was made aware of the scarred lion guard mark on his shoulder. He was reminded of how he lost everything.

"You have no idea what I've endured" Kion growled. "And the Kiara I knew, would have never reminded me of that."

Kiara instantly felt guilty and stepped towards her brother, "Kion I…"

"Forget it" Kion said calmly. "Run back to Kovu, I'm gonna hunt for a while."

"Maybe I could help…"

"Go!" Kion shouted. Kiara took a step back and Kion dug his claws into the earth, regret coursed through him. "Please" he said softer this time, "Just go."

Kion watched as Kiara walked away, her head hanging low, and her tail dragging the ground. He pushed his paw to his forehead and sighed. _What's wrong with me?_

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW! Trying to take a little time to make Kion turn dark as I feel like it would take something huge to do that to such a great lion… please follow or comment how you think it will happen! Would love to hear from my readers!**_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 14:

The Siege

Kion laid under the stars, gazing up at them and missing his friends. Everything was changing, and he was going to face it all on his own. It had only been a year since he'd lost his team, but yet the images of their deaths haunted him. He hadn't seen Bunga since the fire, and he couldn't even recall this last time he'd seen Fuli. They were all that was left. He felt like so much had changed and that he was a new lion now. There was no going back, no changing the past.

It wasn't until Kion picked up a familiar scent that he rolled off his back and turned around. Kiara was walking towards him, Kovu beside her. It was true, Kion had missed the betrothal. He had been ordered to come by his father, and Kiara had begged him. But no matter how much Kiara begged for him to be there, he hadn't been able to bring himself to attend. Simba was furious and after fighting with his father, Kion had ended up here, feeling worse about himself than he had in a long time.

"I knew I'd find you here" Kiara said softly as she approached him. She nuzzled Kion's cheek and he returned her affection briefly, never taking his eyes off Kovu. Kiara took a few pawsteps back and her eyes flashed over briefly to Kovu. He was now the future king. The future of the pridelands would soon be put in his paws.

"Kion" Kovu spoke, "I don't know what I've done to make you distrust me so much, but I wanted a chance to make things right."

Kion lifted a skeptical eyebrow at the strange lion. "You want me to trust you?" Kion questioned. "I don't know a thing about you."

"Ask me anything" Kovu replied. "I want to fix this."

It was in the following weeks that the two grew closer. Kion found Kovu's company enjoyable, and it helped him forget about his worries. Kovu was more carefree and fun than Kion had previously thought. They joked around and got into all sorts of trouble together. Kovu acted the furthest thing away from a king and though SImba saw trouble there, Kion didn't seem to mind it at all.

It was on this particular night that Kovu, Zuri, and Kion found themselves having a friendly competition with each other. They were going to race across the great river, whoever got to the other side quickest would prove to not only be the strongest, but the winner got to sleep in the coolest corner of the den that night, the furthest away from the heatwave that had been passing through the pridelands for the past few weeks. At first, it looked like Kovu had won as he was the first to make it across, but on the way back, Kion picked up speed, and he made it back right before Kovu got his paw on the bank. Zuri cheered him on and Kovu rolled his eyes.

"Sure maybe you are faster in the water" Kovu said, "But on land, that's a different story."

"Oh please, even I could outrace Kion" Zuri teased.

"You both are so sure?" Kion questioned. "Prove it." Kion rushed ahead of them and the two of them took off after him. As Kovu had said, he was the first to make it back to Pride Rock, but the scene that met him there made his blood run cold. He spun around to warn Kion and Zuri but it was too late.

Their mouths feel open as they observed the grisly scene before them. Simba and Nala were dead, and so were their pride mates, their bodies were scattered everywhere. Kion ran to his parents' sides. The two were not moving, their pelts were littered with claw wounds and blood spilled from SImba's throat.

"Good job distracting him son" a chilling voice called from the shadows of the den. Zira stepped forwards, her pride followed behind her, their mouths blood-stained. Zira was grinning wickedly, her mouth more bloody than the rest.

"I knew I should have never trusted you!" Kion shouted as he rounded on Kovu, slamming him to the ground. He slashed him across the face, quicker than Kovu could react.

"Kion please" Kovu begged. "I didn't know." Suddenly Kion was thrown off of him. Nuka and Vitani had him pinned down.

"Zuri run!" Kion shouted from beneath them. "Go get help!" Now!"

Zuri took off running, and Zira watched her, her eyes blazing. "After her" she ordered. "We don't need any other pridelanders finding out what went on here." Three lionesses took off after her and Zira stepped towards her son.

"I told you" she whispered. "I would make you a king."

 _ **Please review! I did a little twist off TLK 2 right here. Except this time Zira succeeds. Let me know your thoughts!**_


	14. Chapter 14 (pt 2)

Chapter 14:

The Decision

Kion sat up abruptly from the hillside he was currently sleeping on, his eyes flashed open. The nightmare. The outlanders. Kovu. It had all been in his head. He sighed and looked up at the stars, it had been so long since he'd talked to his grandfather, but he couldn't help but feel guilty at the very thought. It had been only hours earlier that he, Kovu, and Zuri had been playing together. Now here he was imagining the very worst of his new friend.

"Kion."

Kion turned to see his sister approaching. She was watching him with that same worried expression she'd had ever since he'd lost the roar.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked. "The den feels empty without you."

"I just wanted to watch the stars" he replied. "Must have dozed off."

"It's almost sunset" she stated, worry stretched across her face like a mask. Every word was making Kion cringe. She looked at him with such pity now. Once he'd been a great leader, now he was nothing.

"I wanted to speak with you about something" Kiara said as she sat beside him.

"What is it?" Kion replied.

"With mother and father getting older I'm beginning to worry about the future of the pridelands. We need another guard Kion."

Kion narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her, "What do you mean?"

"I mean the guard can't end with you" she replied. "I know you're no longer the leader, but there's this lion… I think he'd be perfect… but I need you to pass your mark to him until I have a cub of my own who can take over."

"Whose the lion?" Kion asked.

"Zira's son Nuka" she replied.

"Nuka?" Kion demanded. "No way."

"He's proven his loyalty to the pride and he's Kovu's brother" Kiara stated. "I've already talked to him and he's agreed to take over for now."

"Kiara no."

"The pridelands need protection Kion, father doesn't have the strength to protect it anymore."

"Pick someone else" Kion growled. "I may trust Kovu now but I never said I trusted any of the other outlanders." Kion turned angrily from his sister, his fur on his neck bristled.

"Kion!" she shouted after him. Kion paused but remained turned away from his sister. "You have to let go of the mark, you know that deep inside it's the right thing to do."

Kion shook his head, his claws dug into the soft earth. "I better not regret this" he said. "Because if Nuka becomes a threat, no one will be able to stop him."

 _ **Sorry for the short chapter but wanted to write a longer one for next time! This idea hit me out of nowhere and I decided to run with it! Let me know what you think!**_


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

Unlikely Allies

Kion paced restlessly through the pridelands, anger coursing through him. _How could she ask me to do this? To give up the mark… to give it up to this stranger. I don't like it._

Kion walked for what seemed like ages until he crossed into the outlands. He hadn't even realized where he was until he heard the obnoxious cackling of Janja's clan.

"What do we have here?"

Kion looked towards the shadows to see none other than Janja approaching. His hyenas had grown in numbers now that he was older and they looked more menacing than when they were younger. Kion felt his adrenaline kick in upon seeing the massive force and part of him was scared because he was alone… without the roar… without his guard. He snarled as Janja stepped closer, this was the hyena that had cost him everything… that had taken Ono from him. But as he stood before the outlander and idea formed in his mind, this hyena knew the outsiders before they were welcomed into the pride, maybe they knew about Nuka, about the real lion he was.

"Janja, what do you know about a lion named Zira and her pride."

"What's in it for me cub?" Janja demanded. A chorus of laughs echoed behind him as his hyena's stepped closer, all eager to see what the lion would offer their leader.

Kion thought for a moment. He would never allow Janja what he wanted, to roam freely in the pridelands, but he did have another idea.

"I'll bring you a portion of my prides kills" he replied. "Whatever they get and whenever they hunt, I'll bring part to you." He could see the ravenous looks that befell over the army of hyenas and he narrowed his eyes at them. "Only you Janja."

Janja smirked darkly and nodded, "You got a deal cub."

"So tell me what you know" Kion instructed.

"Zira and her lions are bad news" Janja stated.

"And Nuka?"

"Scar's son" Janja said. "He's out of his mind."

"What have Zira and her lions done?" Kion asked.

Janja smirked, glancing around at his clan. "Come see for yourself."

He turned and began to walk deeper into the outlands, when he noticed Kion was not following he stopped short, glancing over his shoulder at him. "It's now or never cub."

Kion hesitated to take another step. This was his enemy. This was a hyena that had cost Ono his life. He had caused turmoil for the pridelands, yet somehow Kion felt more comfortable in Janja's presence than he did around Zira's lionesses and her son.

"Okay" Kion said. "No funny business Janja."

"You have my word" Janja said as he bowed his head slightly, "Now follow me."

Kion nodded and headed into the outlands, his senses on high alert. When he reached a clearing he gasped at the destruction. Animal bones littered the ground. The whole earth had been scorched, the clearing was desolate of any life, and the smell of decay and death clung heavy in the air. He walked down to the riverside, the water was so murky it was almost brown.

"Believe it or not, this river used to be as clear as the watering hole in the pridelands" Janja commented. "With so many animal corpses left lying around, the river got polluted. Zira's pride killed for fun, they always killed more than they needed."

"What about your clan?" Kion asked. "Why didn't you just scavenge and eat the leftovers."

"We weren't welcome here" Janja stated. "Any time we crossed into this territory Zira's lions chased us out."

Kion turned back to the clearing, his heart filled with sadness for the broken land. Even for the outlands, this place looked truly defeated. There was nothing growing, there was no hope. The land had been permanently destroyed.

"As much as we hate each other Kion, I would be a fool to tell you to trust the outsiders, they bring destruction wherever they go."

"I wonder why Jasiri never showed me this place."

"Jasiri lost her parents here" Janja replied. "She doesn't talk to anyone about it, not even her clan."

"How would you know that?" Kion questioned suspiciously.

Janja hesitated for a moment, "Because I used to be in Jasiri's clan, before she threw me out." For a moment the hyena seemed sincere, and his voice fell flat as he admitted the truth. He had been more involved with Jasiri than anyone knew.

Kion smirked, "She finally saw you for the hyena you truly are."

Janja scowled at the cub, "It's time to go Kion, I told you all you needed to know."

Kion smirked and headed out, accompanied by Janja's clan. Their leader had disappeared into the shadows.

Kion returned to the pridelands, making his way towards Kiara as he spotted her lying amongst the rest of the pride. Nuka was talking with Kovu and Zira was watching them closely.

Kiara rushed to her brother the second she spotted him. Nuka and Kovu approached as well.

"Kion are you ready?" Kiara asked. "We've been waiting for you."

Kion looked between the pride members and finally at Nuka before he made his way back to Kiara.

"No" he stated. "Nuka will not become the new leader of the guard."

"Kion what are you saying?" Kiara questioned. "I thought we talked about this."

"I talked with Janja, he said Zira and her pride destroyed the outlands, and I'm not about to let the same thing happen to the pridelands."

"Janja?" Kiara questioned. "Since we do we trust him?"

"My instincts tell me he's being honest" Kion replied.

"And you're gonna trust Janja over your own blood?" she demanded.

"If that's what it takes to keep the pridelands safe."

Kiara grew furious with her brother. She looked back at Kovu and her pride and then at Kion. "If you're trusting Janja now, you're clearly not thinking straight, we don't side with hyenas Kion."

"I won't let Nuka and his family destroy our home" Kion stated.

"Kovu's the king now Kion, and his family is mine, if you're against them you're against me."

Kion's ear flattened as he looked at his sister. What had happened to her. "Please don't do this."

"I want you out of the pridelands" Kiara stated. "Until you realize who your true family is."

 _ **Please review! Let me know your thoughts on this weeks chapter!**_


End file.
